The 52nd Annual Soddy Daisy Junior Miss Scholarship Program will take place on Saturday, March 27, at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets are $10 and are available from any board member, contestant, Calico Florist or at the door.

The program will be held at the newly renovated Soddy Elementary School auditorium, 260 School St.

The Soddy Daisy Junior Miss Program was founded in 1959, one year after America’s Junior Miss was formed in 1958. At that time the Soddy Daisy Jaycees produced the program. Eventually a Jaycettes chapter was formed to help with the program. In the late 70’s the Jaycees turned the production over to the Jaycettes which eventually became the Soddy Daisy Junior Miss Board of Directors. Carol Pierce is the chairman of the board.

The theme this year is the Oscars. The program will incorporate the Oscar theme into the music, routines and decorations. The program will start with the girls arriving in a limousine and walking down the red carpet.

The Soddy Daisy Junior Miss program is a franchise of Tennessee’s Junior Miss which is a franchise of America’s Junior Miss. Soddy Daisy Junior Miss 2010 is Katelyn Burdine. Tennessee’s Junior Miss, Chelsea Michelle Milligan from Gallatin, Tn. and will compete in America’s Junior Miss June 24-26 in Mobile, Al. Soddy Daisy’s Junior Miss 2011 will compete in the Tennessee Junior Miss program held July 23-24 in Cleveland.

America’s Junior Miss 2009 is Michelle Rodgers of Winchester, Ky. She is a freshman at Northwestern University majoring in international studies and theater. Her cumulative winnings amounted to $52,000 beginning from her local program in Winchester, Ky.

The mother of Soddy Daisy Junior Miss 2010, Katelyn Burdine was Soddy Daisy Junior Miss in 1981, Robin Johnson Burdine.

There are 26 young ladies competing for the title of Soddy Daisy’s Junior Miss this year. A distinguishing characteristic of America’s Junior Miss is how participants are judged. The system was designed to evaluate the qualities and characteristics the program promotes. The same standards and format is used at the local, state, and national levels. Interview (25%), Talent (25%), Scholastics (20%), Fitness (15%) and Self Expression (15%).

The program’s goal is to honor young women who excel in all these areas and to encourage them to continue on the path of excellence by completing their educations and assuming roles of leadership in their communities and professions, thereby setting an example for other women to follow.

The scholastic category counts 20 percent in the overall score of each contestant. A separate panel of judges evaluates the scholastic information on each contestant prior to the program. They consider each girl’s grade point average, the strength of her academic program and her standardized test scores. These judges are usually school counselors, admissions personnel, and other individuals trained in evaluating academic performance. Although they work alone and do not meet the girls, they provide an essential service to the program.

The emcee for the event will be Steve Wittler. He is a member of the Soddy Daisy Junior Miss Board of Directors. Since becoming involved in Junior Miss a few years ago, he says that it has become a
very important and rewarding part of his life and that being a part of something so positive just makes you feel good. His daughter, Stefanie was Soddy Daisy Junior Miss in 2005. Stefanie is the reigning Miss Tennessee and was awarded 2nd runner up in Miss America in January.

Each current Soddy Daisy Junior Miss is invited to speak at schools, clubs and churches on the “Be Your Best Self” program. In 1987 there was an important addition to America’s Junior Miss program with its “Be Your Best Self” program. It involves Junior Misses reaching out to young people through personal appearances. Because they are positive role models, Junior Misses are often asked by various organizations especially elementary and middle schools, to make personal appearances. The “Be Your Best Self” program gives them the opportunity to approach each appearance with a definite mission and message. It is a personalized message, stressing the importance of incorporating five elements into one’s life - Be Healthy, Be Involved, Be Studious, Be Ambitious, and Be Responsible. Junior Misses are using the “Be Your Best Self” program as a platform from which to deliver that message.

The Soddy Daisy Board of Directors raises the funds each year to pay for the scholarships it awards. Proceeds from the program tickets and program book advertising are the primary means of raising scholarships. Currently they award $3,900 each year in scholarships.

A tradition of the Soddy Daisy Junior Miss program is the mother-daughter brunch combined with the contestant cooking contest. This year it was held on Feb. 27 at the Holy Spirit Catholic church in Soddy Daisy. Each young lady submitted a breakfast or brunch item. Rebecca Miller judged the contest. The winner of the $100 award will be announced program night. Kim Wittler spoke from a mother’s perspective to the group. After the judging, everyone enjoyed eating all the food.

This year DoughHeads Pizza sponsored a pizza and karaoke party for the girls on Sunday, March 14.

America’s Junior Miss was founded in 1958 and is the oldest and largest scholarship program for high school senior girls. It has helped thousands of girls pay for their educations and pursue their ambitions. Over 700,000 young women have competed at the local, state and national levels. More than $33 million in scholarship opportunities are available each year. Since 1958, AJM has awarded scholarships worth more than $90 million at the Annual AJM National Finals in Mobile, Alabama.